✭⁎ 𝚊𝚎𝚒𝚙𝚊𝚝𝚑𝚢 *

 𝑎 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑢𝑒𝑑 𝑝𝑎𝑠𝑠𝑖𝑜𝑛 ; 𝙪𝙣𝙮𝙞𝙚𝙡𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 ( GUIDE + ROSTER. )

[aeipathcy]

mobile links.

❪ rules ❫ ┄ ❪ mobile roster ❫ ┄ ❪ roster ❫ ┄ ❪ wish list ❫ ┄ ❪ meme tag ❫

active blogs.

❪ aeviterncl ; oc multi side blog ❫ ┄ ❪ abrasife ; single oc ❫

writer.

severa . she / her . 18+ 

** I am using the BETA EDITOR, so please use it when writing with me

[aeipathcy]

“I’m perfectly alright.” [Medusa x Larisa]

MEME┊accepting.

The time spent with Medusa had become something Larisa had been looking forward to. There was some sort of synergy she had with this girl, even if she couldn't exactly place why she felt more willing to humor her than anyone else. It could be that she didn't have to worry about causing her any harm. After all, with every glance into the blonde's green eyes, Larisa felt the spirit residing within her shriek and shrivel. And when that thing withered within her—well, why wouldn't she thrive on making that demonic spirit suffer?

I’m perfectly alright.

Even now as she flicked her gaze to meet her newfound friend's eyes, Larisa gently took hold of Medusa's wrist, bringing her hand closer to inspect the cut on her finger. Despite her heart skipping beats in fear of another injury forming on her friend somewhere, the redhead simply knew it wouldn't show—because that spirit had been petrified for now. It couldn't do anything. It couldn't leech off Medusa's life force just by existing nor through contact. Grabbing a plaster from her pocket, she reminded herself it was safe to touch her now.

Almost savoring the feeling of another hand in hers, Larisa took her time to apply the plaster around the cut finger. It was probably noticeable how stupidly long she took to wrap the band-aid around Medusa's finger, but she couldn't help it. She didn't know how to request for such things, and she wouldn't dare act weird about needing more touch. The last time she jumped the gun, the poor guy had distanced himself quite far, and she didn't want to repeat that mistake with her new friend here.

Reluctantly letting go without a word, Larisa pulled away and turned her attention back to the book shelf in front of her, resuming normal activity like one would do at a book store. She liked this little shop sitting by the café. Not many people dropped by so it was nice to use as a hiding spot while the crowd outside thinned out.

❝ New books are more prone to giving paper cuts, so be careful when flipping pages, ❞ Larisa spoke up, grabbing a random, pink colored book off the shelf.

Almost as if the universe was mocking her, the book she happened to pull out had absolutely irked her, its cover and title almost calling out her exact situation right now as it depicted a blushing vampire girl patching a wound on a human girl's hand. As much as she wasn't one to turn down a book featuring a romance between women normally, this one was absolutely in poor taste at the moment.

Practically glaring at the title, the redhead set the book back on the shelf, realizing that it wouldn't meet her needs of a romance that actually catered to her own line of thinking. She supposed she was looking in the wrong section, but it was somewhat hard to find books with characters she could connect with. Most of these stories were simply too wholesome for her taste.

Glancing over to Medusa, she figured she may throw her a question to keep the conversation going, ❝ What kind of book are you looking for? ❞

[strongwilledsoul]

Weeks of work had gone into arriving at this little meeting. A small park, twilight hours, just a corpse and a healer--two unlikely friends. And even to Max's surprise, he did consider Niko just that. A friend. One of the very few he'd ever allowed to own the title.

The last time they spoke, they'd argued. A rift had formed, and Max wasn't sure how to repair it. Any other time he wouldn't have cared. 'Oh well, that was fun while it lasted'. But he couldn't find it in himself to discard Niko in that same way.

God dammit.

He'd taken to introspection, reflection, trying to discern the root cause of their dispute. It all came back to touch. Max couldn't touch Niko without his power going haywire and sending alarm bells ringing through his head like a five alarm fire. He'd recoiled--some would call it rudely, but for Max it felt like self preservation.

His diagnostic magic had cost him a few too many hook-ups anyways. Nothing killed the mood like the boy you were gonna take home having a tapeworm he doesn't know about...Besides, his powers were still developing. If he found one inconvenient, he simply had to train it. Own it.

"I imagine you're wondering why I called you out," Max said as he approached. He was surprised to find he was relieved Niko had come. Had he been subconsciously worried about being rejected?

"I want to repair this rift between us. Get back to what we were," because I value this friendship. He left it unsaid, because there was no fucking way he was admitting it out loud.

"So I asked you here to participate in an experiment of sorts. There's no risk to you, I just need to test something."

@aeipathcy

[aeipathcy]

Niko knew he had been screwing everything up lately. He could blame it on his half asleep brain or the fact that same brain of his continued to decay day after day, but none of those excuses felt remotely enough to fix things. It wasn't like he wanted to make those excuses anyway. Even though he had asked others for advice on how to fix it, nothing really ended up happening. He still ruined stuff anyway by saying the wrong thing, pushing the one good friend he had away. It wouldn't be a surprise to him if this last meet up was Max telling him they were absolutely done being friends.

The corpse had been so on edge that he had grabbed a different flavor of milkshake than usual, hardly noticing the fact that his drink wasn't even the same color as usual. He barely noticed the pieces of strawberry mixed in either. Even though he was familiar with the routine of buying his milkshake and meeting people at this small park, he was simply... scared—was that the feeling?—of what might happen this time. This park had been a place filled with good memories. He didn't want it to start becoming a painful one.

His unbeating heart felt heavy in his chest when Max moved to sit next to him, a couple feet away as per the usual distance kept between them. Niko honestly hated how far away that distance felt. Normally, he wasn't someone who minded that, but it felt different when he knew Max utterly despised any form of contact with him.

He slightly turned his head towards Max, red eyes fixing onto his friend's profile, listening attentively as he spoke. He took another sip of his strawberry milkshake.

Experiment? His eyebrows rose in confusion as he coughed loudly, barely preventing said milkshake from heading down the wrong pipe.

❝ … What? ❞ he stupidly uttered after swallowing. He let out a couple of coughs to revive his voice.

Niko was definitely open to repairing their relationship, but what did an experiment have to do with it? Wasn't he supposed to be in the wrong and the one trying to make things right for all the badly worded stuff he had said before?

Deciding to humor it anyway, Niko figured he should probably fish for more information. Wiping his lips clean with the back of his free hand, he awkwardly followed up his earlier outburst, ❝ I... don't mind, but, uh, what kind of experiment? ❞ Surely this wasn't a poor excuse of a joke, right?

[aeipathcy]

"You know, you haven't spoken in a minute." [Connor x Reanne]

MEME┊accepting.

The number of times Reanne had text Connor to hang out must have been met with concern. She had a boyfriend and yet here she was bugging another guy frequently enough to raise flags for any average person. Then again, Alex wasn't the type to be overly worried about this sort of thing as he knew she had plenty of guy friends from the start. Then again, she really could be using her time better than dragging her clearly busy friends into her problems.

You know, you haven't spoken in a minute.

❝ I haven't? ❞ Reanne questioned in confusion upon the observation, momentarily perking up in her seat. Had she really not been rambling her head off this time? How could she not have realized how stuck in her own thoughts she was? To think she was the one who invited him out for a drink at the local coffee shop only to get lost in her own head? Maybe all the issues with herself were too much for her right now.

Taking a sip of her lukewarm, heavily sweetened coffee, the auburn haired girl let out a sigh, ❝ Sorry, I guess all the issues I have with my life are getting to me. Heck I still can't get out of my accursed retail job at the mall. ❞ Not to mention, she couldn't stop realizing how much she had been going back to her old destructive habits. Sure, she had been mending things with Alex since months ago, but her stress was apparently much more tied to her own personal growth than their relationship issues.

She set her cup down and lowered her head into her hands, fingers threading through her hair almost angrily as she pulled back some locks of her framing locks of hair.

❝ I can't even get my life together and I'm probably forcing my boyfriend to work harder than he needs to to make up for my shitty choices and lack of direction, ❞ she began to rant, ❝ of course, as a college drop out, I can't do much—if only I actually knew what I wanted to do. And I'm even wasting my pitiful paycheck on overpriced coffee right now. ❞

Ugh, she was a mess. An ugly one. And Reanne hated that. Everyone else was so put together and she only continued to fumble life completely. Why did Alex choose her of all people? Surely he could find someone better off than her. The only thing she had going for her was her looks. Outside of that, she had nothing of value. But even now that plus point was slowly being washed down the drain the more she neglected proper self-care.

Taking a deep breath, her voice grew quiet and she oriented her wrists so that her palms would cover her eyes, ❝ I just... feel so pathetic, Connor. I'm tired of myself. ❞

[mcflymemes]

PROMPTS FOR CATCHING UP AND CHECKING IN *  assorted dialogue for pauses in the action when you need to check to see if they're okay, adjust as necessary

are you holding up all right?

thought i should stop by, see if you were okay.

you know, you haven't spoken in a minute.

you're starting to worry me.

is this thoughtful silence, or worried silence?

can i get you anything?

i'm perfectly all right.

sometimes i think about what will happen if we fail, and it terrifes me.

you can stop worrying about me now.

you had a moment back there.

what was all that yelling about?

i've worried about you since day one.

can we sit down?

you might feel better if you talk to me about it.

i was hoping we could catch up.

there's a lot more going on than i expected.

it's starting to get to me.

tell me the truth. are you all right?

i'm not a hero. i don't know why i'm doing this.

i can tell when you're lying to me, pretending everything's okay when it's not.

you're a horrible liar.

what was that all about?

i heard you yelling.

it sounded like an argument to me.

what's on your mind?

something's clearly bothering you.

can you just sit still?

you've never been honest with me.

they said you needed to talk to me?

i can tell when you're lying. i can see it in your face.

i know you better than you know yourself.

spill. everything.

that's not what it looked like from here.

i don't want to talk to anyone.

can you leave me alone for a while?

thanks but no thanks.

is this your way of checking on me?

who put you up to this?

if you'd just been honest with me from the start, we wouldn't be here.

when they said you were out here, i thought i'd stop by, see how you were doing.

you don't have to handle all of this by yourself, you know.

there are people who really care about you, who want to see you succeed.

think about the people who love you.

i don't like seeing you struggle this way.

i could use a shoulder to cry on right about now.

i just feel so lost.

everything is riding on me, and i'm not used to that.

there's too much responsibility on my shoulders right now.

thanks for letting me vent a little.

i didn't mean to word vomit.

you make it easy.

i feel like i can trust you.

no one understands me but you.

thank you for giving me a chance to speak.

thank you for stopping by to see me.

you should come by more often.

the battle's not over.

we still have work to do.

i trust you'll be ready for the final battle?

tomorrow's a big day. you should get some rest.

if you need anything, you know where to find me.

it will feel better if you just come right out and say it.

no one should ever carry the burden you do.

i think the world of you.

what do they say? this too shall pass.

[uniiicornsources-old]

Send 🍁 + any question you've been curious to know about my muse

Could be absolutely anything. Don’t be shy!

[thunderousmemes]

SLOW–BURN SPARKS & QUIET HEARTFIRE

roleplay starters inspired by slow burn love — lingering glances, almost-touches, and feelings that simmer for months before finally spilling over

LONGING IN THE LITTLE MOMENTS

soft looks, subtle shifts, that ache of wanting more but not daring to reach

“Why do you always look away right when I catch your eyes?”

“You keep brushing my hand. Accidentally… right?”

“You don’t have to leave yet. Stay—just a few more minutes.”

“Why does being around you feel… different?”

“I notice the way you soften around me. Even when you try not to.”

ACCIDENTAL INTIMACY

hands brushing, falling asleep near each other, warmth passed back and forth

“You’re freezing—come here. It’s just body heat… nothing else.”

“You can lean on me if you’re tired. I wouldn't mind.”

“Hold still, you’ve got something in your hair—just let me…”

“Didn’t mean to fall asleep on you, but… I didn’t want to move.”

“I like it when you stand close. Even if you pretend you don’t notice.”

DENIAL THAT’S OBVIOUS TO EVERYONE ELSE

everyone sees it except the two falling in love

“Why does everyone keep asking if we’re together? We’re not… right?”

“No, I wasn’t staring. I was… observing. For reasons.”

“We’re just friends. Totally normal friends who… talk every night?”

“Why does it bother you when I flirt with other people?”

“We’re close. But not that close. Unless… you want to be?”

RISING TENSION, UNKEPT DISTANCE

the space between you shrinking, breath catching, lips almost touching

“You keep stepping closer. Are you doing that on purpose?”

“Tell me to back up. If you don’t, I won’t.”

“You can’t look at me like that and expect me to think straight.”

“If you touch me again, I’m not sure I’ll be able to stop myself.”

“We’re either about to kiss or make the world’s worst decision.”

LATE NIGHTS THAT LEAD TO CONFESSIONS

quiet rooms, tired voices, guards slipping

“I shouldn’t say this, but… I feel safer with you than anyone else.”

“You’re the first person I think about in the morning. And the last at night.”

“I don’t know when it happened, but you’ve become… important.”

“Why do I only tell you the things I’m scared to say out loud?”

“Stay up with me. I don’t want this feeling to fade yet.”

FEAR OF RUINING EVERYTHING

the hesitation, the trembling, the hope

“If I told you the truth… would it ruin us?”

“I’m scared of losing what we already have.”

“I care about you too much to risk it unless you feel the same.”

“Don’t lie—there’s something between us. You feel it too.”

“Tell me you don’t want me, and I’ll pretend none of this happened.”

FINALLY CROSSING THE LINE

the moment where holding back isn’t possible anymore

“Come here. I can’t pretend I don’t want you anymore.”

“I’ve been waiting for you to make the first move.”

“If we’re doing this… don’t pull away.”

“I’ve wanted to kiss you for months.”

“Tell me this isn’t just one moment. Tell me we’re choosing each other.”

[strongwilledsoul]

Had a commission of my boy Reece done by the amazing Drewcy.

[aeipathcy]

art by raeyxia

Reanne has 0 misses. How did I design such perfection so that every artist brings out her charm without much struggle at all?

Anyway, more Reanne art thanks to Miey (again)! This time it features her more adult design.

[aeipathcy]

art by raeyxia

I need to share this gorgeous Reanne art I got a little bit ago (I keep forgetting to share). She is never not gorgeous! Best girl, for real!

[shadyinfo]

Determined to make up for missing out on Christmas holidays, Reanne was way ahead of the curve this time. Unlike her previous plan to go out for a meal, the girl figured an at-home date would be better for this time. It beat the cost of those holiday mark up prices and she could actually make something more personal. In fact, she had spent the week planning out the dish she planned to cook for when Alex visited that evening. Her day was really just her cooking a nice spread of dishes and cleaning up her apartment. It was a lot of work, but her excitement kept her going along with the motions, humming happy melodies as she imagined how her boyfriend might react to her date plan.

She knew they normally went out for their dates, so the change of pace to do something at home was definitely different enough to be special for Valentine's Day. Not to mention, it would be the mark of one year since they officially started dating too.

When Alex arrived after his shift, Reanne had just finished setting the table for them to eat, her cooking apron still on as she led him to her spruced up cheap dining table. The table was covered with a red and white checked tablecloth and in the middle sat two cheap plastic candle lights. The plates on each side of the table held a delicious and decadent surf and turf entrée consisting of a filet mignon and shrimp with sides of mashed potatoes and green beans. Honestly, a home cooked meal was nothing like the intended homemade chocolate, but hopefully her feelings would still be conveyed.

❝ I'm glad you made it, ❞ she said, pulling out a chair for him to sit at, ❝ I've been looking forward to this all day! ❞

The girl couldn't help but let her smile stick on her face. After all, she never tired of seeing her boyfriend when she had the chance. Even if it was one of her least favored holidays, she could never have her mood ruined if she had the opportunity to see him and whip up a nice meal for once. Cooking for herself was one thing, but cooking for Alex had her all excited to show him what she was made of. She wanted to know what he thought of her cooking, as he was a guy keen on cooking himself.

❝ I know this isn't chocolate and I know you prefer to be the one cooking all these things, but I wanted to show my stuff too, ❞ Reanne went on to explain with a bit of a sheepish twirl of the ends of her shortened hair, ❝ that and I actually suck at making chocolate. I'm not much of a baker. ❞

Moving around the table, she turned on the mini candle lights that she set at the center, ❝ Happy Valentine's Day, Alex. ❞

Left work early? Done. Pretty packaging? Check. Clothes all changed and free of any flour? Check, check, check. This had to be Alex's greatest feat of the year, and it had only been the second month of the year so far. The fact that he had managed to finish this painstakingly long task on time was a miracle in itself, and he still looked good enough for the rest of the evening. Maybe there is a slight tinge of smoke on his shoulders, but the scent of strawberries should mask the disaster that threatened to be born from his oven. Everything was fine, and that poker face smile on his features wouldn't give away his little weakness with baking. Reanne didn't have to know the details that took place before he arrived, not one bit.

He certainly would not have minded a night-in with her. Of course, it was Valentine's Day and Alex would be an absolute idiot if he grew complacent like he had in recent months. A machine can always have improvements, and the man swore to deliver. Then again, Reanne did beat him to the punch before he could even think to bring her out for the holiday. As if that would stop him from getting her a new fresh batch of sunflowers, even amidst the cold transition from winter to spring. Eyeing her apron as he slipped off his shoes to the side, Alex swallowed as the scent finally registered into his sense.

He blinks with surprise, almost caught off guard by the gesture. Hadn't he been the chef in this relationship? Swallowing the sudden build up of saliva between his teeth, he attempts to hide the flustered blush on his face with his hand that held the bouquet. "Am I at the wrong place? I'm supposed to be at my girlfriend's place, not a restaurant." He wonders if she hears his nervous stammer, but there is no doubt she could see the grin he had been fighting to conceal as he sees the set-up. It's cheesy, but in a good way that makes him giddy on the inside. His hands grow sweaty as he sets the flowers down nearby in sight, and quickly, he spirits himself behind her.

His arms twitch with this urge to engulf her in an embrace, but Alex hesitates before he could. A clenched fist behind his back, he only hovers and allows his warmth to radiate behind her in a complex translation of want and a need for closeness. Too close, he thinks to himself in a gesture of restraint. He could have moved away to give her some space, and he does pull away— but not too far, only enough for him to set that pretty box on an empty space on the table.

"I ain't that much of a baker either, but that's never stopped me from trying. I hope you still like fruit tarts, sweetheart." Lips curled into a slight smile, he sets down the carefully boxed tarts onto the table. He remembers that conversation from ages ago when they had barely known one another. Reanne had not explicitly given him a preference on the sweets she had liked, other than mentioning she enjoyed a lot of it. He couldn't have been anymore grateful for his strong memory, practically having memorized what she had listed down on the things she would have liked.

An assorted set of six small fruit tarts, and he would keep an eye on what flavors she seemed to gravitate towards for future reference. Not that he would ever get better with baking, but for her, he would try. His exes would throw a fit if they knew he had been reduced to this.

There was no other way to hide the way his jaw falls slack when he studies the plating. She even bothered to make the presentation look so fancy. "Filet... mignon? This stuff is what you see in those expensive restaurants. Even the butcher don't give cuts like these for cheap. You didn't have to, darling." His heart is accelerating at the thought of a homemade meal that was not done by his hand. Was he sweating? Shit, he was. Dark blue eyes were trained onto Reanne, flickering down to the cut of meat already on the fork. Why would he not have a bite now? He could barely contain his nerves as he bites, then takes another of the shrimp, then the potatoes without another word.

All manners were thrown out the window now, his tongue too eager to express his immediate thoughts after sampling her cooking. "I really liked what you did with the searing of the meat. How long did you have it on the pan for? It's so soft inside too..." He manages to say in-between chews. Alex does not devour the dish entirely, taking his time to savor the flavors rather than vacuum the entire thing like he does when at home. Everything is taken much more slower with Reanne, not that he minded at all. It was his way of prolonging his time with her, especially after his periods of absence.

After a slight gulp of water, Alex sighed and smirked at the girl in concession. "I think you had me beat with the shrimp. I honestly think you'd do better than me in the seafood department." He sings the praise so easily as he bites down onto another piece of shrimp, gesturing for her to join him in eating. "Have you tried it yourself? I'll have you try out my version of the dish so you can see just how well-done your seasonings were. What's the secret?" The man teased, itching to wipe the plate clean. The thought saddens him though, knowing that there could only be so much bites for him to savor and burn to memory.

Then he paused for a moment, digging into the pocket of his jacket to pull out a much more smaller box. "There's also this," His voice was much more quieter now, uncertain as he slides the item to her across the table. Careful to not knock down the candlelights, he pulls back his arm and glances away. He did not think himself to be the best when it came to gift giving, compared to doing favors and making things happen with sheer determination and luck. Within the box, a set of small hair clips with the likeness of small sunflowers. He imagined they'd look nice on the crown of her head where she would do her pigtails, but the technicalities of hair accessories were very much lost on him.

Alex could not bring himself to look her in the eye and gauge her reaction. "Don't hair clips make your scalp itch? I tried them once out of curiosity and I thought they were going to grow roots on my head." He had known that Reanne liked her hair accessories, often donning ribbons early on in their friendship. He hasn't seen them in a while, now that he thought of it. He swallows to himself, wiping his lips on a napkin before clearing his throat to salvage his diminishing courage.

"I kept seeing those at a windowsill. Thought about you every time I passed by. I mean, I think about you all the time I see sunflowers." The confession is quiet. A part of him wants to go die in a hole for how cringe he sounds, but he keeps rambling anyways. "They're so bright, and you're the brightest thing I see all the time. Prettiest girl in the world, but so bright it puts my headlights to shame." God, I sound so stupid. A dreamy-like sigh leaves him as he loses himself in thought. "I sound like an idiot, but that's what effect you have on me. I can't articulate how weak my knees get when I see you happy."

His neck was heating up now, and that was his cue to shut up before he got anymore awkwardly vulnerable. Clearing his throat, Alex flashed that charismatic smile and waved off his shy exterior. "You've spoiled me, Reanne. Can I at least massage your hands? Come on, you can nap on me after I clean the dishes for you."

[abrasife]

KEITH AND REANNE, MY BELOVEDS! I LOVE THEMMMMMMMMM!! ❤️❤️❤️❤️

art by ariasama

[aeipathcy]

I know Reanne wears her hair ribbons mainly as a token/memento of a past lover (whom she loved very much), but I feel like over time and after finding new bonds/love, she may not even feel the need to wear them, as she gets more distance from that time and finds security and comfort in what she has now.

Her signature (pre-haircut) is her pigtails, not the ribbons. I feel like her not wearing her go-to ribbons shows that she no longer longs for that small pocket of happiness from the past. And the reason she wouldn't long for the past is because she has something in the present she desires and wants to have more strongly. Like, she has Keith now. She has Alex too. She wouldn't trade or give them up if she could help it. They're her favorite people.

Honestly, I think a part of her is wanting to let go of the ribbons she always wears. She just doesn't know how to fully let go until she gets something to replace them.

[aeipathcy]

BEST GIRL HAS SOME MORE ART! AHHHH, I LOVE THIS SO MUCH!!

art by misokatsuhaumai

[shadyinfo]

Despite the holidays, things had been busy for her. Considering her retail job, she was stuck with the shifts everybody was calling out from. Because she had no family time excuse (and her boss knew that), Reanne was obligated to take on the work. Thankfully, she would get holiday pay, but it sucked that she wouldn't be able to spend the day of with her boyfriend. Despite the fact she had tried to set up a reservation for a decent place for Christmas dinner earlier, the girl supposed it was a blessing she wasn't able to make that work out.

But she hated the idea of not doing anything. She hated the thought of leaving Alex alone for Christmas. She didn't want to look like she was getting payback or anything either. So, her compromise was to give him the present she had carefully selected after intense deliberation early. From all their conversations in their early days of running into each other, Reanne could tell Alex might have a thing for cooking. It was funny since she only realized this recently despite having known him for a good, long while.

While the book she had picked out was probably generic, she had tried to find something with home-y and cozy style, easy dishes that could be whipped up in a short amount of time after a long day of work. She knew Alex had a busy schedule and she wanted to give him something that could be helpful in that regard while also catering to what he liked to cook (except she didn't know the slightest thing about what he liked to cook, and all she could hope for was that the style of cooking was up his alley).

Similar to how he always showed up at her apartment, Reanne had decided to surprise him as he got off of work. He probably didn't expect her to be waiting out in the rain, but at least she had an umbrella over her head this time, actual long pants that covered her legs, and a zipped up puffer jacket to keep her warm.

The moment she saw Alex exit the premises, her eyes lit up and she bounded over to him as if too excited to contain herself, the gift tucked under her arm as she joined him under the awning. Her face slightly red from the cold, the girl greeting him with a bright smile, her heart swelling at the mere sight of him. Ah, she really, really wanted to see him. It was still surreal to see him so soon after last time.

With a bit of hesitation and fidgeting back and forth on her toes, Reanne revealed her gift and held it out to him, ❝ It's a bit early but... merry Christmas. ❞ She gave him a bit of a wry smile afterwards, almost apologetic as she explained why she was delivering it early, ❝ I unfortunately work Christmas and I didn't want to leave you alone on that day, so... maybe see this and think of me? ❞ Well, a cook book wouldn't really do that, but hey—she wasn't the best at this sort of thing.

Christmas had become somewhat of a somber affair over the past few holidays. Aside from seeing the folks outside the city, his memories of the holidays were a blur of alcohol and overnight security shifts at a rinky-dink casino. A second Christmas in the city without any family around, but at the very least, there was a consolidation that he could make someone happy this year. Not that he would tell Reanne he was already prepared to call in sick for the holidays, she didn't have to know such details. Since that conversation, maybe he had been a bit too future oriented. Shame had already flooded his ears at the recollection of his very simple but repeatable mistake. The site was cold, but the amount of physical labor that he was conducting had driven him mad from the heat. Sweat was beading down his temples, even his parka had been clung around his shoulders like a towel. Going out into the cold like this might be his downfall, but it wasn't as if anyone was going to chastise him for such reckless behavior. And then he sees Reanne making a beeline towards him from the pavement. The effect of her presence was embarrassingly immediate. His ears were now red with something else, and so was his face. Fingers scrambling to tug on his parka over his body, he found his own legs tugging him towards her in a rush. He didn't care about the frigid rain at all. Maybe he made a show of his biceps for a good split-second, that shameless man. "What are you doing here? You're going to make all my coworkers jealous of me, sweet girl." The smirk he had often used on her in the past had failed, melting into more of a smile. Gingerly taking the umbrella from her hands, Alex used his height to their advantage and shielded her from the rain. Was the water sliding down onto his backside? Yes. Did he want to complain about any of it? Absolutely not. His lips part with warning, ready to warm up the car for her when the world stills. The fidgeting and sway of her movements send him into a loop of short-circuits and short thoughts. Cute. Too cute. She must've been acting like this on purpose. There just had to be no way that she didn't know what her mannerisms do to him. It took moments for him to stop staring, startled by the gift she had gotten her. "You didn't have to get me anything, Reanne." His dumbfounded stare had softened into something much more tender, his calloused hands taking the book into his hands. It's got that new book smell that he likes. Underneath the shelter of the umbrella, he somehow manages to cradle it in his arms and look over the contents. Fancy, he thought to himself. He hadn't even realized he was smiling, already calculating what he can and couldn't replicate. Maybe the presentation wouldn't be as put together, but these were a deviation from his usual protein-filled dishes. Feigning a sad long sigh, Alex shut the book and leaned down to her level. "I can't see you for Christmas, and I know you tried to have something planned too. I see it in your eyes!" An uncharacteristic pout graced his features, but it was only playful in the way his eyes stole glances at the book. "I'll think of you, alright. I'll look at it and wonder what I can do to make you like my cooking some more." Carefully now, he leans closer as an invitation. There was hesitation, waiting for her to either lean closer or keep the distance. A hand hovers on the small of her back, escorting her to the safer part of the sidewalk as cars pass them by in the rain. "How about dinner and a show for the holidays? I'll even wear the apron with the kitties on it." He murmured near her ear, the pitter-patter of the rain taps at the umbrella's fabric. Approaching his car, however, his blood ran cold as he recalled that his damned gift was in the backseat.

[mcflymemes]

"I CANNOT SHOW ANY WEAKNESS" PROMPTS *  assorted dialogue for those who think they need to be tough at all times to get through a difficult situation, adjust as necessary

i don't have time for games, [name].

you can't stop me.

these people are counting on me to save them.

every second i wait, every moment i take for myself, is another life lost.

i'm not willing to put anyone else's life on the line.

i have to be tougher than this.

you taught me to be strong.

i'm not giving up.

there's no time to waste.

you stay behind. i'm leaving.

that's not a risk i'm willing to take.

there's no time to sit and chat. i have to keep going.

i'm not tired.

i was just resting my eyes.

you're imagining things.

i'm perfectly fine continuing on.

we have to pick up the pace.

they're counting on me to fix this.

there are so many lives at stake.

we can't slow down.

don't ask me to take a break.

i wasn't crying.

i can't let them see me falter.

there's no time for breaks.

i don't need sleep. i need answers.

i'm not wasting another second on this.

we have to figure out a way around it.

get up. we're going.

we're finding another way through.

if i have to break the door down, i will.

so many people are counting on me.

i can't afford to fail.

i can't let them see me quit.

there's no room for failure.

too many lives are at stake for me to just sit here and do nothing.

they need a hero.

i'm not sitting around and waiting for someone to save me.

i don't have time for this.

i can do this on my own.

get out of my way. let me try.

move out of my way.

you're not going to stop me.

do you realize how many people are relying on me?

sometimes i think of the faces of those who died because i wasn't fast enough.

i'm not sticking around to find out.

let go of me. i'm leaving.

there has to be some way to stop them.

i haven't quit yet.

"giving up" isn't in my vocabulary.

i don't need you to look at it. i'll be fine.

it's just a flesh wound. it'll heal.

you can't make me stay here.

they put me in charge.

i can't afford to let anyone down.

i'm not strong enough.

[catchameme]

Send a word and "+ HC" and I will write a headcanon for my muse based on the word(s) sent!